Laverne Cox says transgender models have 'changed beauty standards'

American star Laverne Cox has thanked the transgender models who are "changing beauty standards".

The 45-year-old actress recently became Cosmopolitan magazine's first transgender cover star, and Laverne has since thanked other members of the trans community for helping to change the landscape for people like herself.

In a lengthy Instagram post, she wrote: "It's not my first #CosmoQuiz but it's the first one I've taken on camera for @cosmopolitansa. 42 years ago this month @iambeverlyjohnson became the first black woman to appear on the cover of Cosmopolitan magazine. Thanks Ms. Johnson for paving the way for all of the black women who have followed you over the years on Cosmo covers. Thanks to trans models like @leat @andrejapejic @harinef @valentts @geenarocero @therealtraceyafrica and more who are changing beauty standards and breaking barriers for trans folks on the covers of fashion magazine's all over the world. (sic)"

This comes shortly after Laverne revealed she got "teary" when she finally met Halle Berry at the NAACP Awards.

The 'Orange Is The New Black' actress took to Instagram after the glitzy award ceremony in Pasadena, California, to gush over the encounter she had with the Academy Award-winning star.

She said: "I finally met @halleberrytonight. I got teary. She has been such a huge inspiration for me for so much of my life. Thank you Ms. Berry for your incredible career and all the inspiration and being so sweet as I totally fanned out. #naacpimageawards (sic)"